Made in collaboration with Sam Lavigne
Offset is a carbon registry and online store selling high-quality premium carbon credits generated from cases of direct action and industrial sabotage. Credits are represented by unique certificates printed in archival ink on photo rag, and the proceeds from each sale are donated directly back to the activists responsible for each direct action. We analyze and quantify each case for its carbon benefit using methods taken directly from the carbon accounting industry. If carbon offsetting extends the logic of quantification and finance to all aspects of human life, why haven't these attempts to intervene in the carbon cycle been counted before now?
Carbon offsets in their current form apply the logic of capitalism to our atmospheric interactions. This logic assumes that all activities on Earth can be quantified and abstracted by means of a price, and therefore exchanged. Based on this reasoning, carbon offsets operate on the presumption that it is possible to export or outsource the effects of one's decisions—whether at the scale of the individual, the community, or the nation state—to someone or someplace else, or even to future generations. In this way, existing carbon-offset markets act to maintain the status quo rather than address the root causes of the climate catastrophe.
Offset asks what an alternative offset market focused on social exchanges and political actions that contribute to a program of radical change would look like. The result is presented as an installation consisting of the online registry and web store, our innovative new offsetting methodology called "Industrial Sabotage as Temporary Carbon Storage," a selection of the carbon credit certificates, and a new video work titled “Melts into Air”.
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To read more on the background research for the project, see our essay on Eflux.
CREDITS
This project is a collaboration with Sam Lavigne.
Exhibition Design: Diogo Passarinho Studio
Fabrication assistance: Claire Hentschker and Brian Clifton
Graphic design and printing consultation: Sarah Yalaju and Beverly Acha
Video VFX: DJ (Dongjun) Kim
Printing: Brooklyn Editions
Studio assistant: Jacob Sheffet
Music consultation: Yotam Mann
Supported by:
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Carbon offsets in their current form apply the logic of capitalism to our atmospheric interactions. This logic assumes that all activities on Earth can be quantified and abstracted by means of a price, and therefore exchanged. Based on this reasoning, carbon offsets operate on the presumption that it is possible to export or outsource the effects of one's decisions—whether at the scale of the individual, the community, or the nation state—to someone or someplace else, or even to future generations. In this way, existing carbon-offset markets act to maintain the status quo rather than address the root causes of the climate catastrophe.
Offset asks what an alternative offset market focused on social exchanges and political actions that contribute to a program of radical change would look like. The result is presented as an installation consisting of the online registry and web store, our innovative new offsetting methodology called "Industrial Sabotage as Temporary Carbon Storage," a selection of the carbon credit certificates, and a new video work titled “Melts into Air”.
To read more on the background research for the project, see our essay on Eflux.
CREDITS
This project is a collaboration with Sam Lavigne.
Exhibition Design: Diogo Passarinho Studio
Fabrication assistance: Claire Hentschker and Brian Clifton
Graphic design and printing consultation: Sarah Yalaju and Beverly Acha
Video VFX: DJ (Dongjun) Kim
Printing: Brooklyn Editions
Studio assistant: Jacob Sheffet
Music consultation: Yotam Mann
Supported by:
- A Creative Capital Award.
- The Australian Center for Contemporary Arts
- A Pioneer Works and Rockefeller Foundation working artist grant
